Grain-cracking machine



April 17, 1928. 1,666,798

VD. B. TAGGART GRAIN CRACKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10. 1927 I N VEN TOR.

I ATTORNEYS V cracking or reducing machines.

I more particularly described, with, reference 1 .to the accompanying drawings, which are to Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

g ANDCGMPANY, OF MUNCY, PENNSYLVANIA,

A 'conrorte'rron or PENNSYLVANIA.

'l hi's invention relates to grain cracking or reducing 11'i achines,a11d more particularly to in-ac'hines ofthe type shown in patent to SinionSnyder, assig'nor; No. 1,560,433, dated November 3, 19:25, Reissue No. 16,759, dated October @1927, for improvements in grain the patented machinethere is a casing having a feed hopper thereon and a rotary atioriary knives on opposite-sides thereof a ranged 'infcooperative relation to the 1'0- tary knives, and a screen encircling the r0 tar-y knives and having the upper part thereof spaced Ironi the inner wall of the casing so as to provide suitable space "in the upper pe per the'casing to receive material thrown outwardly by the rotary knives and caused to "descend by gravity into the lower part of the casing, while the lower part of thescreen: extends acrossan open space below the ro-' tary kn ives, so that suitable spaces are provi led above and below the rotary cutter to receive niaterial thrown out by the rotary knives, and I therefore do not broadly claim any such construction.

' The objects of my invention are to provide n e'ans whe'rel'iy the capacity and efficiency of machines of the character referred to increased, while the qu antity of ineal 0i? undesired product ordinarily produced nv using such inachin'es is reduced.-

The invention will first behereinafter be telieii as a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Said drawing illustrates a vertical sectional elevation-of a niachine embodying'niy invention; the cradle for the lower knives, which are arranged beloivthe rotary cutter, being shown in full li'ne'sin nor'm'z'il position and indicated by dottedlines'in lowered po:

sition to afford access to the rotary knives and the lower stationary knives and screen sections.

Referring to said drawin the machine casing may be the form shown or any suitable construction having a lower or base member Aand an upper member or members A? and a feed hopper B thereon; said casing having secured therein a series of stationary knives C, (3 arranged in spaced re cutter ior 'lmife blades therein "and describe.

ration arid-on opposite sides of abrota rycutterjl), as in thefm'achine] h'ereinbefore referred to; other stationary knives being arranged below the "rotary cutterso as to providee "circular series of stationary the inner w'alls "of the casingso as to pro- V videjsu'iteble spaces or charr'ibers above and helo'w the rotary cutter to receive material thrown out by the rota-(y knives; such material being .ci use'd to escen-d by gravity i'n'toft'he lower part of the cas ing; As shown,

thefstat'ionfary knives are edj-ustably secured 'fixeduposjt ion's between adjacent sections of as'ecjtional-screen which encirclesthe r0- tar-y cutter; the-horizontal knives C being adjiis'tably secured to knife-supports E secured within the lower casing member, while the Eup'perrn'ost knives C are secured in recesses provided" therefor between the lower end of the feed hopper and depending flahges a on the upper c'as in;g-member or members. The upper sections of the screen maybe removably securedfand are made easily accessibleby the means shown or any suitable meansyso that a broken or worn part maybe readily removed and replaced. but inasmuch as suchmeans lare not claimed as of my invention it appears to be unnecessary to specifically describe the s'anie. In

' connection with the rotary knives and stationary-"knives about the saine I provide means-tor attach1ng a stationary knlfe or knives \vith ass'oclated screen sections and means for supporting the same below the romy knives; which I will now: proceed to "Ann oblong cradle-like fr'aI Iie extends 7 across the wlower casing member, be: low the rote'ry' cutter, and carries stationary knives C "which are adjustablyfitted insocketsprovided therefor on opiosite sides of thec'ente'r for the cradle; each nife being slidablyefitted in its socket and secured in a, I

fixed position therein by means of adjust and to the rotary cutter, and to this end op positc end-portions of the cradle are provided with lugs or projections g and g to receive fastening bolts for securing the cradle in proper position. The lugs g are aperturcd to receive pendant bolts I which are pivotally supported at one side of the casing, while the lugs are provided with open-ended slots to receive pendant bolts I pivotally supported at the opposite side of the casing, said bolts having nuts screwed thereon, so that the cradle may be adjusted vertically and secured in a fixed position. lhe open-ended slots in the lugs g adapt the bolts I to be turned on their pivots so as to release the cradle and allow it to be lowered to the dotted line position shown, to afford access to the rotary cutter, or to the stationary knives and screen sections arranged below the cutter. To firmly support the cradle in normal position and adapt it to resist pressure thereon ,due to the accumulation of grain or other material between the rotary cutter and the lowermost stationary knives, open-ended slots may be formed in the cnd-piecesot the cradle-to receive fas-' t-ening bolts or screws K inserted through apertures in opposite ends of the casing and engaging apertures or open-ended slots in the end-pieces oi the cradle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. The combination, in a machine of the character described, of a casing having a shaft revolubly mounted therein carrying rotary knives, stationary knives pro ect1ng 1nwardly from the casing int-o operative rela tion to the rotary knives, a stationary knife or knives supported below said rotary knives, and a screen encircling the rotary knives and spaced from the casing above and below said shaft so as to provide a suitable space around the knivescinto which material may be thrown and caused to pass by gravity neeaves low the rotary knives to receive material thrown out by the rotary cutter.

3. In a machine of the character described having rotary and stationary knives arranged in co-operative relation within an enclosing casing, a cradle-like frame structure extending across the casing-below the rotary knives and carrying stationary knives arranged in co-operative relation to said rotary knives, and a screen encircling the rotary knives and spaced from the casing so as to provide suitable spaces above and below the rotary knives to,receive material thrown out by the latter; said frame-structure being hinged-at one side of the casing and releasably secured at the other. side thereof.

4. In a machine otthe character described having rotary and stationary knives arranged in co-operative relation within an enclosing casing, a cradle-like frame-structure extending across the casing below the rotary knives and carrying stationaryknives arranged inco-operative relation to said rotary knives, and ascreen encircling the .rotary knives and spaced from the casing so as to provide suitable spaces above and below the rotary knives to receive material thrown out by the latter; said frame-structure being hinged at one side of the casing and releasably secured at the other side thereof by means adapted to hold the framestructure in a fixed position; said means including supporting devices on the casing re- 'lcasably engaging opposite ends of the a rotary cutter and stationary cutters ar-' ranged in co-operative relation within an enclosing casing; said cutters mcludmg a stationary cutter arranged below the rotary cutter, and a screen encircling the rotary cutter and spaced from the casing so that suitable spaces are provided above and below the rotary cutter to recelve material thrown out by said rotary cutter.

(3. A grain cracking or reducing machine comprising a casing having a rotary cutter therein and stationary cutters arranged in co-operative relation to the rotary cutter, including a stationary cutter arranged below the rotary cutter, means torsupporting the last named stationary cutter in normal posh tion and for lowering the same. into inoperative position to altord access thereto or to the rotary cutter, and a screen encircling the rotary cutter and spaced from the casing so that suitable spaces are provided above and below the rotary cutter to receive material thrown out by the latter cutter. I

A In testimony whereofI aflix my signature.

DANIEL 'rAeGA RTi ill? CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,666, 798. Granted April 17, 1928, to

DANIEL B. TAGGART.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 95, for the Word "about" read "above"; page 2, line 1, after the word "screws" insert the reference character "c"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and scaled this 29th day of May, A. l). 1928.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner .of Patents. 

